Means for making reinforcement wire cages



Aug. 31, 1937. w. A. WHlTlNG 2,091,540

MEANS FOR MAKING REINFORCEMENT WIRE CAGES Filed July 18, 1936 4Sheets-Sheet 2 WW/m/W A. W/wm as $1M Aug. 31, 1937. w. A. WHlTlNG MEANSFOR MAKING REINFORCEMENT WIRE CAGES 4 sheets-sheet 3 Filed Jul 18, 1936fi o o VIM/MA. Will (fly Aug. 31, 1937. w'. A. WHITING ,0 0

MEANS FOR MAKING REINFORCEMENT WIRE CAGES Filed July 1a, 1936 4sheets-sta e; 4

a 126 I 50 I 27 1306 51 26 MIM Patented Aug. 31, 1937 UNITED STATESMEANS FOR MAKING REINFORCEMENT WIRE CAGES William A. Whiting, Southgate,Calif., assignor to American Concrete & Steel Pipe Company, acorporation of Delaware Application July 18, 1936, Serial No. 91,437

5 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of making wire reinforcement membersor cages for use in concrete structures such as concrete pipe sectionsin which such reinforcement usually con- 5 sists of wire wound inhelical form to form what has been termed a cage. This cage may consistof an inner winding of wire and a spaced outer winding of wire, theouter winding being either concentric to the inner winding or ellipti-10 cal in shape, the wire of the narrow portion of the ellipse beingwelded or otherwise secured to the wire of the inner winding. In bothforms of cage, just referred to, the cage may be also provided withlongitudinally extending wires 15 forming additional reinforcing membersfor the cage. The machine, herein described, is particularly designedfor winding wire in either circular or elliptical form to produce suchreinforcing cages for use in the manufacture of concrete pipe sections.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved type ofreinforcement cage winding machine for use in connection with the makingof concrete structures which will automatically and symmetrically windreinforcing wire into the form of a cage of the character.

above referred to. It is a further object of this invention to provide amachine which is capable of winding either circular or ellipticalreinforcement wire cages either separately, or first an inner circularwinding and an outer elliptical winding or vice versa. It is a furtherobject to provide a machine Which is capable of winding spacedconcentric circular windings of wire to form a cage.

It is also an object to provide a suitable wire feeding device capableof accommodating different size reinforcement wire and which is capableof feeding the wire at a desired tension. As a 40 part of this feedingdevice it is an object to provide an arm which is capable of pre-bendingthe wire before it is wound upon the drum, such pre-bending mechanismbeing automatically adjustable to the different curves in the winding ofan elliptical cage.

It is still a further object to provide a cage winding machine whereinthe drum upon which the reinforcement wire is wound is semi-collapsiblein order to facilitate removal of a completed 59 wound wire cage and itis a particular object of the invention to provide improved means forthus semi-collapsing the winding drum of the cage machine.

It is a still further object to provide improved 55 means for spacingconcentrically wound circular cages, and it is also an object to provideimproved means for spacing an outer elliptically wound cage from aninner circular cage. It is another object to provide improved means forholding reinforcing wires running longitudinally 5 of the winding drumwhereby such holding means are self-adjusting to accommodate the stressof the crimping of the longitudinal wires.

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a preferred form of apparatus used incarrying out my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged end elevation partially in section of the wirefeeding mechanism showing its use in connection with the winding of anelliptical cage;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the winding drum showing thesemicollapsible segments of the drum and showing one segment with theouter post removed and the annular ring partly broken away;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the semi-collapsiblesegments of the winding drum;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5, illustrating aform of collapsing mechanism shown in extended position;

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the mechanism in collapsedposition;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation partly in section of a modified form. ofwinding drum;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary end elevation of a portion of the winding drumshowing the spacers used for winding concentric cages and showing thehand, or cross, wire pins, the spacers, eye members, and hand wire pinsbeing exaggerated;

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section on line llll0 of Fig. 9, showing thespacer used for separating concentrically wound wire cages;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of a hand wire pin mounting on line Hll ofFig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a hand wire pin mounting on line l2l2 ofFig. 11; Y

Fig. 13 is a face view of a spacer used for wind ing concentric circularwire cages, the spacer being shown in extended position;

Fig. 14 is a similar view of the spacer shown in Fig. 13 in collapsedposition;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view of the spacer, taken on the line l5l5 ofFig. 13; and

Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic view showing a manner of connecting an innercircular cage and an outer elliptical cage.

Referring to the drawings A generally indicates the winding drum whichis supported by rollers I I and I2 on foundations I3 and I 4, and bybearing I5 on foundation I6. B generally indicates the wire feeder whichoperates on tracks I8 and is propelled by a motor and reduction gearsgenerally indicated by I8 which operate a chain 20 attached to thefeeder. 0 generally indicates a wire holder operating on tracks 2I.

The winding drum A comprises an outer winding drum composed of segments22 which are mounted on an inne drum 23 supported on a shaft 24, thedrum 23 being further supported on the shaft braces 25. In the preferredform of this invention five of the segments 22 forming the outer or Wirewinding drum are rigidly mounted on the inner drum 23 by means of anannular ring 38 at each end of the drum mounted upon radially disposedposts SL The segmental members generally indicated by 22 include acrosssupports 26, a central column 2! and angle bars 28 and 29.

Seven of the segmental members 22 are radially slidably mounted on theinner drum 23, the posts 2'! being provided with guides 2'! adapted toengage a corresponding engaging member on the posts SI (not shown). Inthe slidable segments 22 the posts 27 are mounted on a longitudinal Hbeam 32 which rests upon pneumatic tubes 33 and 34 which are carriedwithin a U beam 35. The beam 35 is supported by suitable longitudinalwood supports 36 resting on the inner drum 28 and secured thereto in anysuitable manner. Pivotally mounted at 3'! and 38 (Fig. 6) on H beam 32are links 39 which support parallel looking bars 411, the links beingoonnected to each other by pins All and 42. In their extended positionshown in Fig. 6, the lower ends of the links 39 are adapted to engageflanges 35' on U beam 35 to hold the segments 22 in extended or outwardposition. The links 39 are also pivoted on the locking bar 40 by pins 43and 44. The bar 48 is provided with handle portions 45.

The tubes or pneumatic members 33 and 34 are supplied with air by meansof pipes 46 and 4'1 which are connected with an air hose 38 mountedwithin the inner drum 23 and which is provided with a suitable valveconnection 49 which may be attached to an air hose connected to a sourceof compressed air.

Although the invention has been described as embodying seven movabledrum segments and five rigidly mounted segments, in fact any number ofsegments may be used to form the drum and of these any number may bemovably mounted.

In Fig. Sis shown a modified form of collapsible segmental winding drumin which the outer drum segments are mounted upon an inner box-likeframe St, one of the segmental sections 6| is rigidly mounted upon thisinner frame structure. Segmental portions 52 and 62a are pivotallymounted on the inner frame 69 at 63 and 63' respectively. A boltM'having a nut 65 and spring 54' serves to yieldingly hold the segments62 and 62a inwardly. Opposed to this action is post 66 cooperating withpneumatic tubes 61 and 68 which are carried on'the inner frame 50 andwhich may be connected to a suitable source of compressed air forinflation in order to swing one end of the segment outwardly. Segment 69is provided with a bolt Ill, nuts II and spring 12 which tends to pullthe segment inwardly toward the frame. This segment carries postsl3which rest on pneumatic tubes I4 and I5 which may be connected to asuitable source of compressed air for inflation of the tubes to move thesegment outwardly.

The wire feeder generally indicated by B consists of a car 86 havingwheels 8! adapted to ride on tracks I8. The car is automaticallypropelled along the track by means of chain 20 attached thereto as hasbeen pointed out. It may also be propelled manually by means of handwheel 82 cooperating with chain 2%. Mounted upon the car is a motor 83which is connected by a chain 8 5 which drives suitable reduction gearmeans 85. Mounted on the car is a wire feeding and straightening devicecomprising rollers 81, 88, 89, Ml, 9!, 92, 93, W3 and 95. With theexception of rollersfit, 9| and 93 the rollers are driven from powersupplied by motor 88. The rollers contain two grooves, one at 95 and oneat 95' as shown in Fig. 1, the grooves being of different size in orderto accommodate diflerentsize reinforcing Wires. The upper rollers 87,89, SI, 93 and 94 are vertically adjustable with respect to the lowerrollers as indicated by bolts 91.

Mounted on car 86 between the wire straightening and feeding mechanism85 and the Wire holder C is a wire guiding device 98 supported by aframe 98. The guiding device carries horizontally disposed rollersmounted in sets of pairs Shown at 99, 86!), HEN, I532, I533, SM and apair ofv vertically disposed rollers indicated at I05. This device alsoembraces a pivoted arm Hi6 which carries rollers It] and Hi8. Bychanging the position of the arm it may be used to straighten the wireas it comes from the wire holder. like plate 589 having holes therein isadapted to receive a pin or projection on the arm for holding the arm ina desired position.

Mounted upon the side of the wire feederfB is a wire feeding arm II I]pivotally mounted at III. The arm is vertically adjustable by means ofthe screw I Hi and hand wheel l At the outer end of the arm H0 ispivotally mounted a head I I4 which carries rollers H5 and H6. Extendingfrom thehead i It! is an arm I I 3 having a bolt II I for verticallyadjusting the head I I l with respect to the arm Ill). Pivotally mountedon head II l is a member H8 carrying roller I I9 and carrying bolt I20operated by hand wheel I2I which operates on arm I22 of head I It inorder to vertically adjust the member II8 on the head. The arm H0 alsocarries a sliding contact or guide member I23.

This wire feeding arm m1 is free to move li -i wardly toward the windingdrum A as the winding wire is tensioned by the pull of the winding drumupon it. The upward movement of the arm is limited by the slidingcontact or guide member I23 which is adapted to ride upon the drum orthe wire which has been wound about the drum. Downward movement of thearm is limited by Wheel H3 on screw II2. By adjusting the rollers at theend of the arm the wire may be pre-bent to any desired curvature beforeit is wound about the drum. Thus by bending the wire'in a curve having asmaller radius than the curvature of the Winding drum a resulting tightWinding. of the wire about the drum is insured, the pull of the windingdrum taking out the excess curvature of the wire. This pre-bending ofthe wire also pre-v vents the wire from flattening out between spacersin the process of winding spaced cages. Also, in winding an ellipticalcage, the curva-- ture placed in the winding wire isv made to vary.according to the ellipse to be wound by reason: of the fact that thesliding contact member I23 rides upon the spacers forming the ellipsebefore An arc-.

the wire has been wound upon the drum and subsequently, after a round ortwo of wire has been wound, it ridesupon the Wound wire forming theellipse. This causes the arm III] to pivot in 5 a vertical plane andtends to change the curvature placed in the wire prior to its beingwound upon the drum.

Wire sufncient for the winding of one layer of wire on the winding drumor other desirable quantity is carried on the wire holder C whichcomprises a frame I24 having mounted thereon wheels I25 adapted to rideon tracks 2I. The frame I 24 supports a wire holding frame I26 whichsupports a coil of wire I21. In the operation of the wire feedingmechanism, wire I28 is fed manually through the rollers carried by wireguiding device 98, the end being inserted between rollers 81 and 88 ofthe driving and feeding mechanism 86. The motor is then started to pullthe wire through the various rollers until it is in the position shownin Fig. 3. By

means of adjusting the outer member I III on arm IIB vertically withrespect to the rest of the arm the wire may be bent at any desirablecurva- 25 ture before being wound upon the winding drum.

The feeding mechanism 86 can be adjusted to feed the wire to the windingdrum at a speed slightly less than the speed at which the winding drumdraws upon the wire, thereby creating 30 sufficient tension in the wireto insure a tight wrapping of the wire about the winding drum A.

After the feeding mechanism 85 has been threaded, suflicient wire is runthrough the machine to enable the workmen to attach the wire to the endof the drum where the wire winding is to begin. The wire feedergenerally indicated at B is placed at the proper position on the tracksI8 and both the drum and the feeding mechanism are started. As thewinding progresses the wire feeder B automatically is propelled alongthe track at the proper speed by means of the driven chain 29.

Drum segments 22 also have mounted thereon at each end so-called handpins I29 which are adapted to hold the ends of what are termed handwires, or cross wires, when it is desirable to use wires extendinglongitudinally of the drum. These pins are mounted in a housing I39having angular shoulders I32 and I33 and are slidably secured to thedrum segments by means of tracks I34 and I35. The pins I29 have annulargrooves I36 and I36 into which a ball I31 may be thrust by spring I38.The spring and ball are held by means of screw plug I39. Thus the pinmay be held in either an extended or lowered position by means ofthismechanism. The pins I29 extend through longitudinal slots I40 in thedrum segments.

Mounted on housing I30 is a rod I II which is slidably mounted in abracket I42. The rod carries spring I93 between the bracket and pinhousing. From this description it can be seen that the hand pins arelongitudinally slidable with respect to the drum segments 22 in. theslots I49.

For the purpose of winding spaced concentric layers of wire the drumsegments are provided with eye members I61 and III. The members I47 arecarried by detachable ring I49 at the end of the drum from which thewire cage is removed after being wound. The eye members III are mounteddirectly on the drum segments 22 at the other end of the drum. These eyemembers may be mounted either inwardly or outwardly with respect to pinsI29. Adapted to fit inside these eye members, as illustrated in Fig. 9,are the spacers generally indicated at I49 comprising parallel channelmembers I59 connected by a plurality of links I5I pivotally connected ateach end to the channel members. is shown in extended position, held inthat position by means of pins I52. If desirable, pneumatic tubes suchas heretofore described may be used to hold the spacers in extendedposition. Fig, 10 illustrates the use of the spacers in windingconcentric layers of wire at predetermined distances apart and alsoillustrates the use of the hand wire pins I29. In Winding reinforcementcages it is often desirable to Wind a layer of wire as at I59 upon thedrum and then string hand wires or cross wires preferably looping theends of the wire about the pins I29. A second Winding is then made asshown at I55. This creates the marcel-like effect shown in Fig. 10 inthe cross wire or hand wire. This crimping of the hand wires iscompensated for by the longitudinally slidable pins I29 which moveinwardly against spring I43. A spacer may then be placed over the lastwinding of wire and inserted in brackets I 47 and I41 whereupon an outercage may be wound as was done in Winding the inner cage.

My invention is also adaptable for first winding a circular cage andthen a spaced outer elliptical cage. For this operation different sizespacers are employed as in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. The drum segments 22 carryeye members I51 and I58 mounted thereon at the inner end of the drum asheretofore described which are similar to those carried by the ring M811and shown at I5'I and I58 at the outer end of the drum. The spacers,which may be of any desired construction, are indicated at I69, IBI, I62and I63. The spacers are of varying size and adapted to fit into the eyemembers I59. The spacers, with exception of the spacers indicated at I60which are merely bars, are formed of three parallel bars spaced by meansof straps to form a triangle in cross section. They are graduated insize so that when placed in proper position, as shown in Fig. 4, a wirewound about them will form a true ellipse.

The method of making cages comprising an inner circular cage and anouter elliptical cage includes the additional step of manually insert- 11 ing a minimum number of bars I'I0 (Fig. 16) longitudinally of thewinding drum after the two windings have been made between the innercage III and outer cage I72 at the portions where the cages tend toconverge and welding the inner and z outer cages to these bars in orderto hold them in proper relationship after they have been removed fromthe winding drum.

In the operation of the invention wire from the wire holder C isthreaded through the. Wire feeding mechanism B and wound about windingdrum A. After one winding of wire has been placed about the drum A,cross wires may be secured about the pins I29 if desired, or spacers M9may be installed and a second concentric cage may be wound at a spaceddistance from the first. If it is desired, a second cage elliptical inshape may be wound in place of either of the former operations and ifsuch is desired to be done the elliptical spacers may be placed inposition affording a base upon which to wind the outer or ellipticalcage. If, after the first winding or cage has been put upon the drum itis desired to use the hand wires as in Fig. 10, shown at I56, a secondwinding as shown at I55 may be Wound around In Fig. 13 a spacer members22 have been collapsed. This is done by pulling out the locking bars 39to the position shown in Fig. '7. Air is then allowed to escape from thetubes 33 and 34-, thus allowing the segmental members 22 to collapse ormove inwardly of their own weight, when brought into a position at theupper end of the drum by revolving the winding drum A. The cagestructure may then be removed from the Winding drum A.

After the cage has been removed and before a second cage has beenstarted, the tubes 33 and 34 are inflated forcing out the collapsiblesegments 22 into a position to form a circular outer winding drum. Thelocking bar 39 is then forced into position as shown in Fig. 6 in. orderto relieve 25 the pressure on the tubes 33 and 34 and hold the segments22 in position during the winding operation.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a winding drum of a cage winding machine of theclass described: wire straightening and feeding rollers; means fordriving some of said rollers; an adjustable arm member mounted adjacentsaid rollers; an adjustable head mounted on the end of said arm; anupper \35 and a lower roller mounted on said head; a member pivotallyand adjustably mounted on said head; and a wire-bending roller mountedon said last named member.

2. In a wire cage winding machine: a supporting member; an arm pivotallymounted on said member; a head pivotally mounted on said arm; rollers onsaid head arranged to receive wire therebetween; a jaw pivotally mountedon the head; a wire bending roller mounted on said jaw; and means foradjusting the jaw on the head to vary the relationship of said bendingroller to the rollers on the head.

37 In a wire cage winding machine; a supporting member; an arm pivotallymounted on said member; wire engaging rollers mounted on said arm; amember pivotally mounted on said arm; a wire bending roller on said lastnamed member and means for adjusting the position of the last namedroller with respect to the other rollers.

4. In combination with a winding drum of a cage winding machine of theclass described: a wire feeding car adapted to move longitudinally ofsaid winding drum; wire feeding and straightening rollers adjustablymounted on said car; means for driving some of said rollers; a wirefeeding arm pivotally mounted on said car; means mounted on said arm forbending the wire; and a cam member on said arm adapted to ride on saidwinding drum.

5. In combination with a winding drum of a cage winding machine of theclass described: a wire feeding car adapted to move longitudinally ofsaid winding drum; wire feeding and straightening rollers adjustablymounted on said car; means for driving some of said rollers; a wirefeeding arm pivotally mounted on said car; means mounted on said arm forbending the wire; and means for automatically moving said arm in a planeat substantially degrees to the axis of the winding drum to compensatefor the winding of non-circular cages.

WILLIAM A. WHITING.

